Page 25 of Angel Captive

None of the other guys dated had even come close to how I felt with Xaden… but what if it was all the Roulex’s doing?

I had to know for sure. I couldn’t give up and hoped I was wrong about Xaden not really wanting me, about being pregnant, about my feelings.

And what would happen if the Roulex discovered the truth? Their coveted offspring between me and Xaden had happened. Would they separate us? Force me into labor when it was time then shove me off to some other prisoner to mate with?

My stomach heaved at the thought.

“Riley, what is it?” Xaden gathered my hands in his.

Whatever the future held, I felt it in my bones that time was running out and we needed to get out of here now.

16

Xaden

Ihad tasted the lie on Riley’s breath like a prickled fruit turned too tart to eat. Why was she lying to me? I waited for her to answer, but she turned away, facing the bared door like the answer lay beyond.

“We’ve got to get out of here, Xaden.” She frowned, standing up.

I rose along with her and rolled my shoulders back and my wings ached all the way down my back from the strain. I’d denied myself the healing sleep to heal them faster for too long.

“Both of us need rest, we can figure out what to do tomorrow.”

“No.” She shook her head and frowned at me. “Last time we waited too long and look what happened. I couldn’t bear it if they hurt you again.”

Better me than her. “The bars are solid. I’ve tried more times than I can count to bend or break them.”

“But the bars on the windows are less secure.” She chewed on her thumbnail, looking from me to the gate and back again.

“Yes. Like the Roulex who built this fortress were too cocky to believe someone could escape their prison cells to make it to the windows. They didn’t take as much time with the bars on those and planted them in shallowly.”

“Do you think if I stood on your shoulders, I could reach the lock up there?” She pointed to a small box near the top of the door.

If I had the use of my wings, I could fly her up there. “No, it’s too high. We’d need another foot in height at least.”

The hopeful expression on her face fell and I yearned to see the brightness in her emerald eyes again.

“Let’s try it,” I suggested. “Then we can see if we can get you closer.”

She nodded and I strode up to the bars. She placed her hand in mine and I bent down so she could climb on my shoulders. After she stood on wobbly legs, I held her feet to give her balance and security.

“Don’t worry, I will not let you fall.”

With her nod, I slowly stood. She used the bars in front of her to keep from falling.

“It’s still so far away,” she said in disappointment. “Let me try something.”

She lifted on her tiptoes, stretching high overhead. Her perch on my shoulders slipped and I grasped her ankles to keep her from stumbling.

“I can almost reach it.” She held onto the bar with one hand, inching up more. A click sounded and a small panel on the lock popped open.

An alarm blared through the cell and I winced from the earsplitting pain.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Riley swore and hunched down.

I helped her climb off me, setting her on feet on the stone floor.

“I should’ve known they’d have rigged the locking device against anyone tampering with it.” She covered her ears from the noise. “I mean, you can fly, and others could scale the bars. God, I’m so freaking stupid for not thinking of that.”

---